Michael Vaughan, the former England captain, thinks Shubman Gill’s Test average will be over 45 after the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series.
Vaughan said this after Gill’s 269 off 387 at Edgbaston where he broke several records. This was the highest score by an Indian captain in Tests, beating Virat Kohli’s record and the best score by an Indian batsman in a Test outside Asia, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s record.
Before this Test, Gill averaged 36.57 in 33 matches with six centuries and seven fifties. The 269 already took his average above 40 to 40.65 and he might get another innings in the match. It was his second century of the series after 147 at Headingley where the team lost by 5 wickets.
At the start of the series I said his 35 in Tests isn’t good enough for someone of his talent, Vaughan told broadcasters. I said by the end of his career he’ll be averaging 45. I think he’ll be averaging 45 by the end of this series. He’s off to a great start. This is his second time as captain and he’s 2-0. Fantastic.
Interestingly Gill almost doubled his previous highest Test score of 147 in just two innings.
Vaughan also said Gill is like the ‘great players’ of the past because of his field awareness and how he reads different phases of the innings.
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He was lucky to lose the toss but as Sunny (Sunil Gavaskar) said when quality players get on a good surface and know there isn’t too much swing or seam apart from the occasional ball that bounces and there isn’t much spin yet, I think great players recognize it and his feet have been moving well. His technique looks perfect and he just had the mindset to do well, Vaughan said.
India scored 587 in the first innings and finished the day with England 77/3. Gill’s next challenge will be to lead the team without Jasprit Bumrah on the flat track.
